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Japan Air Self-Defense Force
|country= |allegiance= |branch= |type= Air force |role= Aerial warfare |website= |size= 50,324 personnel (2013) 777 aircraft |command_structure= Japan Self-Defense Forces |garrison= Ichigaya, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan |garrison_label= |equipment= |equipment_label= |nickname= |motto= "Key to Defense, Ready Anytime!" |core values= |colors= |colors_label= |march= |mascot= |battles= |anniversaries= |decorations= |battle_honours= |commander1= PM Shinzō Abe |commander1_label= Commander-in-Chief |commander2= Takeshi Iwaya |commander2_label= Minister of Defense |commander3= General Kōji Yamazaki |commander3_label= Chief of Staff, Joint Staff |commander4= General Yoshinari Marumo |commander4_label= Chief of the Air Staff |notable_commanders= |identification_symbol= |identification_symbol_label= Roundel |identification_symbol_2= |identification_symbol_2_label= Ensign |aircraft_attack= F-2, F-35A, F-4EJ |aircraft_bomber= |aircraft_electronic=E-767, EC-1, E-2C, EC-2 |aircraft_fighter= F-4EJ, F-15J/DJ, F-2, F-35A |aircraft_helicopter=UH-60J, CH-47J |aircraft_interceptor=F-15J |aircraft_recon= |aircraft_patrol= |aircraft_trainer=F-15DJ, T-7, T-400, T-4 |aircraft_transport=C-1, C-2, KC-767J, C-130H, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777-300ER }} The , JASDF, also referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and for other aerospace operations. It is the de facto air force of Japan. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining a network of ground and air early-warning radar systems. The branch also has an aerobatic team known as Blue Impulse and has provided air transport in UN peacekeeping missions. The JASDF had an estimated 50,324 personnel , and operated 777 aircraft, approximately 373 of them fighter aircraft. "World Air Forces 2014". Flightglobal.com History Japan did not have a separate air force before World War II. Aviation operations were carried out by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (Kōkūtai). Following World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy were dissolved. They were replaced by the JSDF with the passing of the 1954 Self-Defense Forces Act. It established the JASDF as the aviation branch. Until 2015, women were banned from becoming fighter jet and reconnaissance aircraft pilots. The first female pilot of a F-15 joined the ranks, along with three other female pilots currently in training, in 2018. The Ministry of Defense reported in fiscal 2018 that there were 999 scrambles by JASDF jets against mainly Chinese and Russian unidentified aircraft. That is the second highest amount of scrambles by the JASDF since 1958. 638 (64%) were Chinese aircraft and 343 (34%) were Russian aircraft. On June 20 2019, two Russian bombers (Tupolev Tu-95) violated Japanese airspace twice on the same day. Organization Major units of the JASDF are the Air Defense Command, Air Support Command, Air Training Command, Air Development and Test Command, and Air Materiel Command. The Air Support Command is responsible for direct support of operational forces in rescue, transportation, control, weather monitoring and inspection. The Air Training Command is responsible for basic flying and technical training. The Air Development and Test Command, in addition to overseeing equipment research and development, is also responsible for research and development in such areas as flight medicine. ]] ]] The Air Defense Command has northern, central, and western regional headquarters located at Misawa, Iruma, and Kasuga, respectively and the Southwestern Composite Air Division based at Naha, Okinawa Prefecture. All four regional headquarters control surface-to-air missile units of both the JASDF and the JGSDF located in their respective areas. J tanker in 2017.]] *'Prime Minister of Japan' **'Minister of Defense' ***'JASDF Chief of Staff / Air Staff Office' ****'Air Defense Command': Yokota, Fussa, Tokyo *****Northern Air Defense Force: Misawa, Aomori ******2nd Air Wing (Chitose Air Base: 201SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4; 203SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4) ******3rd Air Wing (Misawa Air Base: 3SQ, F-2A/B T-4) ******Northern Air Command Support Flight, (Misawa, T-4) ******Northern Aircraft Control & Warning Wing ******3rd Air Defense Missile Group ******6th Air Defense Missile Group *****Central Air Defense Force: Iruma, Saitama ******6th Air Wing (Komatsu Air Base: 303SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4; 306SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4) ******7th Air Wing (Hyakuri Air Base: 301SQ, F-4EJ-Kai, T-4; 302SQ, F-4EJ-Kai, T-4) ******Central Air Command Support Squadron (Iruma Air Base T-4, U-4) ******Central Aircraft Control & Warning Wing ******1st Air Defense Missile Group ******4th Air Defense Missile Group ******Iwo Jima Air Base Group *****Western Air Defense Force: Kasuga, Fukuoka ******5th Air Wing (Nyutabaru Air Base: 305SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4) ******8th Air Wing (Tsuiki Air Base: 6SQ, F-2A/B, T-4; 8SQ, F-2A/B, T-4) ******Western Air Command Support Squadron, (Kasuga, T-4) ******Western Aircraft Control & Warning Wing ******2nd Air Defense Missile Group *****Southwestern Air Division: Naha, Okinawa ******9th Air Wing (Naha Air Base: 204SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4; 304SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4 ******Southwestern Air Command Support Squadron, T-4) ******Southwestern Aircraft Control & Warning Group ******5th Air Defense Missile Group *****Airborne Early Warning Group: Hamamatsu Air Base (602SQ, E-767) ******Airborne Early Warning and Surveillance Group: Misawa Air Base (601SQ, E-2C), Naha Air Base (603SQ, E-2C) *****Tactical Reconnaissance Group: Hyakuri Air Base (501SQ, RF-4E, RF-4EJ) *****Air Tactics Development Wing (Yokota Air Base) ******Tactical Fighter Training Group: Komatsu Air Base (F-15DJ/J, T-4) ******Electronic Warfare Squadron Iruma Air Base (EC-1, YS-11EB) ******Electronic Intelligence Squadron Iruma Air Base (YS-11EB) *****Air Rescue Wing ******Detachments: Chitose, Matsushima, Ashiya, Akita, Hyakuri, Nyutabaru, Niigata, Hamamatsu, Naha, Komatsu, Komaki (Training Squadron) (UH-60J, U-125A) ******Helicopter Airlift Squadrons: Iruma (CH-47JA), Kasuga (CH-47JA), Misawa (CH-47JA), Naha (CH-47JA) *****Air Defense Missile Training Group: Hamamatsu, Chitose ***'Air Support Command': Fuchū Air Base, Tokyo ****1st Tactical Airlift Group (Komaki Air Base: 401SQ, C-130H, KC-130H; 404SQ, KC-767J) ****2nd Tactical Airlift Group (Iruma Air Base: 402SQ, C-1, U-4) ****3rd Tactical Airlift Group (Miho Air Base: 403SQ, C-1, C-2; 41SQ, T-400) ****Air Traffic Control Service Group ****Air Weather Group ****Flight Check Squadron (Iruma Air Base: U-125,YS-11FC) ****Special Airlift Group: (701SQ Chitose Air Base: B747-47C as Japanese Air Force One) ***'Air Training Command': Hamamatsu, Shizuoka ****1st Air Wing (Hamamatsu Air Base: 31SQ, T-4; 32SQ, T-4) ****4th Air Wing (Matsushima Air Field: F-2B; 11SQ, T-4 Blue Impulse 21SQ) ****11th Flying Training Wing (Shizuhama Air Base: 1SQ, T-7; 2SQ, T-7) ****12th Flight Training Wing (Hofu kita Air Base: 1SQ, T-7; 2SQ, T-7) ****13th Flight Training Wing (Ashiya Air Base: 1SQ, T-4; 2SQ, T-4) ****Fighter Training Group (Nyutabaru Air Base: 23SQ (Ex-202SQ), F-15DJ, T-4) ****1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Technical School ****Air Basic Training Wing ****Air Training Aids Group ****Air Officer Candidate School ***'Air Development and Test Command': Iruma Air Base, Saitama ****Air Development and Test Wing (Gifu Air Base: F-15J/DJ, F-2A/B, C-1FTB, C-2, F-4EJ, F-4EJ-kai, T-7, T-4) ****Electronics Development and Test Group ****Aeromedical Laboratory ***'Air Material Command': Jujou, Tokyo ****1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Air Depot ***Air Staff College ***Air Communications and Systems Wing ***Aerosafety Service Group ***Central Air Base Group ***Others Ranks Officers（幹部） Warrant Officer and Enlisted（准尉および曹士） Equipment The JASDF maintains an integrated network of radar installations and air defense direction centers throughout the country known as the Basic Air Defense Ground Environment. In the late 1980s, the system was modernized and augmented with E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft. The nation relies on fighter-interceptor aircraft and surface-to-air missiles to intercept hostile aircraft. Both of these systems were improved from the beginning of the late 1980s. Outmoded aircraft were replaced in the early 1990s with more sophisticated models, and Nike-J missiles have been replaced with the modern Patriot PAC-2 and PAC-3 system. The JASDF also provides air support for ground and sea operations of the JGSDF and the JMSDF and air defense for bases of all the forces. Base defenses were upgraded in the late 1980s with new surface-to-air missiles, modern antiaircraft artillery and new fixed and mobile aircraft shelters. Aircraft Current inventory ]] ]] ]] Future aircraft * U.S. State Department approved the sale of 9 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye to Japan for a total of $3.135 billion. * The Mitsubishi X-2 is an experimental aircraft designed to study and develop technologies for future stealth fighter jets. The X-2 will contribute to the eventual F-3 stealth fighter. * The F-3 (or i3 ('I'nformed, 'I'ntelligent, 'I'nstantaneous) fighter) is a future sixth-generation jet fighter that will be developed based off experiences from the Mitsubishi X-2. The project was initiated between 2009 and 2010 and is set to replace the Mitsubishi F-2. * In December 2018, Japan announced they would procure an additional 63 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs, increasing their total F-35 procurement from 42 to 147. See also *Fighter units of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force *Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force aviation *Military ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces References External links *Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Japanese) (English) }} Category:Japan Air Self-Defense Force Category:Air forces by country